English for parents – fart

English has a whole lot of words for flatulence, or gas. None of them are very polite, as the Oxford English Dictionary says: “Fart … not now in decent use”.

The word ‘fart’ has been round for over 700 years in English, and is thought to be related to other Indo-European words like: Danish fjerte, Sanskrit pard, Greek perdein, Lithuanian perdžiu, persti, Russian perdet.

In the UK children (and adults too) might say ‘blow off’ or ‘let off’ as verbs instead of ‘fart’. ‘Did you blow off?’ Who let one off?’

If you’re talking to the doctor say ‘gas’ (uncountable noun) ‘I have a lot of gas’ or maybe ‘flatulence’ (uncountable noun). And if you’re in polite company? Just don’t mention it at all!